VISIT US
in the Heart of the Berkshires

FERRIN CONTEMPORARY, located on the campus of MASS MoCA, is in the heart of the Berkshires, about a three-hour drive from New York and Boston. Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow, The Clark, galleries, and many great restaurants make the Berkshires the perfect art vacation destination along with the amazing natural beauty of the mountains themselves.

Ferrin Contemporary at 1315 MASS MoCA Way in North Adams, Massachusetts, USA

“Since the turn of the 20th century, urban creatives have flocked to the Berkshires—a quiet, mountainous region in Massachusetts—as a fresh air summer retreat. Over the years, these fair-weather tourists have left their mark on the area, establishing a rich assortment of arts institutions and seasonal programs highlighting every conceivable discipline, from theater to sculpture.”— Artsy

FERRIN CONTEMPORARY IN THE BERKSHIRES

FERRIN CONTEMPORARY

1315 MASS MoCA WAY, North Adams, Massachusetts 01247

Housed in an airy building on MASS MoCA’s 16-acre campus, Ferrin Contemporary’s year-round location is only a short walk from the museum’s front door. Specializing in contemporary ceramic art and sculpture, the changing exhibitions feature on-going presentations of current work by established international artists.

PROJECT ART

54 Main Street, Cummington, Massachusetts 01026

Project Art was established by Leslie Ferrin and artist Sergei Isupov as a live-work space for the production of ceramic art. Ferrin Contemporary maintains a library, archives, business office, and seasonal exhibition area to support the activities taking place in the building.

Located in a fully renovated 19th century mill building on the Westfield River in rural Cummington, Massachusetts, it hosts artist residencies for emerging and professional contemporary artists, writers, curators, and critics. You’re welcome to come visit. Click for more information.

MUSEUMS

MASS MoCA is one of the world’s liveliest centers for making and enjoying today’s most evocative art. With vast galleries and a stunning collection of indoor and outdoor performing arts venues, MASS MoCA is able to embrace all forms of art: music, sculpture, dance, film, painting, photography, theater, and new, boundary-crossing works of art that defy easy classification. Click for more.

“A Wall Drawing Retrospective” by Sol Lewitt is worth the trip alone. Click for more. The long-term installation of sculpture and paintings by Anselm Kiefer is housed in a specially repurposed, 10,000 square-foot building at MASS MoCA. Click for more.

The Clark

A 15-minute drive west of Ferrin Contemporary and MASS MoCA, is the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute—recently renovated by Tadao Ando. The permanent collection features European and American paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, photographs, and decorative arts from the Renaissance to the early twentieth century. The collection is especially rich in French Impressionist and Academic paintings, British oil sketches, drawings, and silver, and the work of American artists Winslow Homer, George Inness, and John Singer Sargent. Click for more.

Only a short drive from The Clark, the college town of Williamstown is unexpectedly buzzing each summer thanks to the Williamstown Theatre Festival. These intimate seasonal performances are matched by the school’s impressive art museum. The museum’s mission, “to advance learning through lively and innovative approaches to art for the students of Williams College and communities beyond the campus” means visitors from outside the college are met with a warm welcome. And, there is no admission fee. Click for more.

The Bennington Museum is about the creativity of southern Vermont, eastern New York State, northwestern Massachusetts, and southern New Hampshire in all its forms, from the 18th century to the present. By connecting you with real objects of art and history, and by challenging you with complex ideas, the museum excites your imagination, inspires innovation, and brings delight. Click for more.

MUSIC & PERFORMING ARTS

Jacob’s Pillow Dance is lauded worldwide as a “hub and mecca of dancing” (TIME Magazine), “one of America’s most precious cultural assets” (Mikhail Baryshnikov), and “the dance center of the nation” (The New York Times). “The Pillow” is a treasured 220-acre National Historic Landmark, a recipient of the prestigious National Medal of Arts, and home to America’s longest-running international dance festival. Each year thousands of people from across the U.S. and around the globe visit to experience The Festival with more than 50 dance companies and 200 free performances, talks, and events. Click for more.

Since 1955, the Williamstown Theatre Festival has brought America’s finest actors, directors, designers, and playwrights to the Berkshires, engaging a loyal audience of both residents and summer visitors. Each season is designed to present unique opportunities for artists and audience alike, revisiting classic plays with innovative productions, developing and nurturing bold new plays and musicals, and offering a rich array of accompanying cultural events including Free Theatre, Late-Night Cabarets, readings, workshops, and educational programs. Click for more.

Further south, Lenox, Massachusetts, thrives during the summer thanks in part to the legendary Tanglewood Music Festival, which brings acclaimed contemporary classical acts to the rural bandshell. Tanglewood has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1937. Pack a picnic and head to Tanglewood for a starlit night of world-class music.

Art Concierge Services

Let us help plan your visit with a curated itinerary. We can help you arrange studio visits, navigate various museum exhibitions and performance offerings, as well as recommend trails and outdoor adventures. Click here to contact us by e-mail. Or give us a call.

Local Resources

The recently formed ArtCountry collaborative brings together the Bennington Museum, Williams College Museum of Art, Clark Art Institute, Williamstown Theatre Festival, and MASS MoCA. The five institutions are using the ArtCountry collaboration to advertise North Berkshire and the west corner of Southern Vermont as a singular destination of cultural attractions and natural resources. Click here to read more.

Book Your Stay

There are many great options for overnight stays. From cozy country inns to simple motel accommodations, from historic hotels to homey B&Bs, the Berkshires has it all. Don’t leave your booking until too late. Click here for a listing.

If you make your reservations at Porches Inn — use the code ARTNA when booking best available rates and get the special treatment.